Vision 20/20 — Looking Ahead
As we mark our parish’s 125th anniversary and look forward to the next chapter in the life of St. Andrew’s, I have a vision of the important work God has for us to do. We are called to be a community where our spiritual lives are nurtured and our relationship with God is deepened, where we teach our children about Jesus and our life-giving Christian faith. We are called to be a community that upholds Christ’s central teaching to use our gifts and talents to serve our neighbor and that it is by following this path that our lives find ultimate fulfilment. We are called to be a community where we support each other in the joys and sorrows of this life, and where we experience the love and forgiveness that lie at the heart of the Christian faith.
To make this work possible, we need to be clear-sighted about the need to provide the annual financial support necessary for our parish to thrive. It has been wonderful to welcome our new assistant rector for youth and family, the Rev. Maria (Mia) Kano, to St. Andrew’s. It is through your generous pledging that we can be fully staffed and can offer the worship services and programs that help our community flourish. I very much hope you will be generous, as you are able, in your financial pledge to support the life of St. Andrew’s.
Yours,
The Rev. Adrian Robbins-Cole
We had a very successful stewardship campaign this past year, and we look forward to a great campaign to fund St. Andrew’s in 2020. The theme of our campaign this year is Vision 20/20—Looking Ahead. Our stewardship campaign has a goal of $1,050,000 with pledges from at least 300 families/households. The 300 number is the central point of the campaign this year as we continue to look to broaden our pledge base. We ask that you think about making a pledge or gift, versus putting money in the plate.
As a reminder, the stewardship campaign is the primary funding mechanism for St. Andrew’s operations. These operations include:
- Worship
- Church School & Youth
- Pastoral Care
- Music
- Outreach
- Diocese
- Adult Formation
- Fellowship & Membership
- Communications
A pledge to St. Andrew’s is a financial promise and commitment to support our parish and its missions in the coming year. Your pledge is an act of faith that connects you more deeply to our church. Many find spiritual joy in making a generous pledge to support God’s work through the church. While pledges guide our budget for the year, they can be adjusted, up or down, if your circumstances change.
From a spiritual perspective, we are called upon to be generous and joyful givers of our time, talents and treasure, to support God’s church. Giving to support missions we believe in gives us joy, and makes us feel more connected to our parish. There are many opportunities to serve and get involved.
From a practical viewpoint, stewardship is a shared responsibility and duty that we undertake to care for and maintain our parish and its missions. It is the combined energy and financial support of families and individual members that make possible all that we are and do as a parish. Pledges and gifts provide roughly 75% of the funds for our annual parish budget.
We are excited to move into 2020, the third decade of the 21st Century. Our theme this year is Vision 2020—Looking Ahead. Some of our specific goals include:
- Continue to broaden our pledge base.
- Continue to reduce our dependence on the annual draw from the endowment account.
- Continue to fund outreach giving.
- Maintain current staffing levels.
- Finally, continue to run a world-class church.
Our 2020 stewardship goals are outlined below:
- $1,050,000 in pledges. This is flat when compared to what we raised last year.
- Participation from 300 households. This is a slight increase from last year—a little less than 2%. This is an important goal for us this year as we look to broaden participation to at least 300 households.
No, we don’t—it’s the other way around! Episcopal churches are usually financially independent, raising most of their operating funds from members. Unlike some churches (e.g., Roman Catholic), we are not funded from the top down. Your pledges or gifts go directly to our parish, and we are then charged an annual assessment to help fund the diocese, supporting it and the missions of the Episcopal Church throughout the world. This assessment (about $142,600 in 2019) is the second largest line item in our budget.
There are three easy ways to make your pledge:
- Mail your pledge card to the church office.
- Drop your pledge card in the plate during the offertory any Sunday up to Commitment Sunday, November 3.
- Pledge online on this website on the “Making a Pledge” tab.
Timely pledges are essential for prudent budgeting and planning for the coming year. Please make your pledge by Commitment Sunday, November 3, 2019.
We all receive many requests from worthwhile charities and organizations—but remember that St. Andrew’s depends on a relatively small number of pledges (~300) for the majority of its budget. Please give St. Andrew’s a high place in your annual giving, and make a pledge that feels to you like a major gift!
This is a very personal decision, but there are guiding principles. The Biblical tithe of 10% of income is a worthy goal, and some members joyfully reach this pinnacle. At St. Andrew’s, we suggest an initial goal of 2% of income, and encourage you to move up in increments of 1% of income towards a full (or fuller) tithe. Our average gift in 2019 was approximately $3,500 per household.
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